Sean Astin to star in ‘The Freemason,” filming in Utah By Sean P. Means A former Hobbit is coming to Utah next week to solve a murder.

Actor Sean Astin — best known probably for portraying the loyal Samwise Gamgee in “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy — will be filming a murder mystery, “The Freemason,” starting Monday in the Salt Lake City area.

Astin plays Leon Weed, a detective investigating a ritualistic killing of an elder Mason, according to a press release from the film’s producers.

The movie’s executive producer, Joseph James, is a Master Mason, and aims to quench the public’s appetite for the secret society’s mysteries. James calls “The Freemason” “the first film of its kind to highlight actual initiation practices.”

Sohrab Mirmontazeri, an Iranian-born filmmaker, will direct the film. He previously made a thriller, “Blue Door,” in Utah.

It’s the second time Astin has filmed a movie in Utah. He previously appeared in Ryan Little’s well-made 2009 rugby drama “Forever Strong.”